Ask the Coaches: Importance of Track Workouts During the 5K XC Season

Nov 12, 2007

Q: How important are track workouts during the 5K cross country season? What are the benefits? Should they be done once a week or more? Should the track workouts be a gradual build-up over the course of the season or should they be done just prior to states with a high intensity level?

How far prior to states should mileage be tapered and by how much? Thank you!

--Jim, Pennsylvania

A: Dear Jim,

First of all let me clarify what we are talking about here. I have to assume that you are referring to interval workouts when you ask about "track workouts." Now if you mean to ask if doing interval workouts on the track are more important than doing the same type workouts on the cross country course, I would answer, "no." I would recommend staying off the track during cross country season so you can build the kind of leg strength that comes from running on irregular terrain.

Since I doubt that you are splitting the difference between types of surfaces, then I would answer, "yes, doing interval workouts are important." I have my teams run intervals twice a week during the cross season. We usually have a big invitational type race on Saturday, take Sunday off, run threshold type longer repeats (like 4-6 x one mile at 80-85% effort) on Monday and then some type of intervals on hills on Wed at 90-95% effort. Thursday is our day for a long run of 60-75 min at 65-75% effort. The other days are easy recovery jogging at 60-75% effort.

By basing each week's intervals on current racing times (go to my web site www.coachbenson.com for the pace and effort chart for 5k paces), while the effort stays the same, the times get faster over the course of the season.

Of course, with the huge differences in cross country courses from race to race, we often have to guess at how fast our current 5k on a track would be, but it isn't too hard to estimate what the paces of the workouts should be..

We start this pattern right after our first race and continue until two weeks before the state meet. At that point, start the taper process that for some (the middle distance runners with leg speed but not much endurance) means cutting back on the volume by about 50% while increasing the speed and intensity while for others (the long distance runners who don't have much leg speed but more endurance) we keep their mileage about the same, but keep the repeats longer and lower intensity of 85% and lower.

What I discovered after many years of coaching is that runners shouldn't be working on their weaknesses at the end of the season, but should focus on improving their strengths. It's less risky for injury and illness during this crucial peaking period. We try to be emotionally, mentally and physically tapered by the state meet.

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